Feed-bag.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904,

T. E. BURROUGH.

FEED BAG. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FEED-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,442, dated December 27, 1904.

Application filed January 5, 1904:. $erial No. 187,804:-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS EWALT BUR- ROUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a'feedbag embodying my invention, showing the bag fully distended. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts at the termination of the feeding operation. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the bag, preferably composed of canvas or other suitable flexible material, attached at its lower end by nails or otherwise to a solid base 2, preferably composed of wood and hav ing depending supporting legs or feet 3.

The bag is disposed within a frame 4, preferably formed from a metal rod bent to substantially U shape, with its horizontal portion 5 extending centrally and transversely beneath the base 2 and its vertical arms 6 projecting upward along the sides of the bag, the upper ends of said arms being folded back upon themselves to form depending supporting members or arms 7 to which the upper end or mouth of the bag is attached in any desired manner, but preferably by means of screws. The supporting-arms 7 extend downward within the bag for a distance equal to about one-half the height thereof and have attached to their lower ends a guard member or ring 8, having a concaved upper face and an enlarged central opening 9, through which the base 2 is a guide-bar 10, the projecting ends of which are slotted, as at 11, to receive the vertical arms 6 of the frame, whereby the base, which is vertically movable relative to the inner guard ring or shield, is guided in its movements, the downward movement of the base being against the action of springs 12, mounted, respectively, upon the arms 6, with their upper ends attached thereto and their lower ends attached to the bar 10.

For locking the base of the bag to retain the latter in distended feed-receiving position I provide a latching member or device 13, pivoted in a case 14, attached to the under side of the base, said latching member being adapted for engagement with the horizontal portion 5 of the bar and retained in locking position by means of a spring 15, housed within the casing. When the base is moved downward, the latch automatically engages the frame,

from which latter it may be released by presvwith eyes 20 formed at the upper ends of the frame-arms 6.

Attached in any appropriate manner to the canvas body portion 1 of the bag is a plurality of vertical stiffening members or steels 21,

which vextend upward from the base 2 and when the bag is distended, as illustrated in Fig. 1, terminate at their upper ends at a point adjacent to the guard-ring 8, these members being designed in practice to stiffen the walls of the feed-receiving portion of the bag ,and prevent the latter plaiting or folding inward between the ring 8 and base 3 during the vertical movements of the latter.

In practice when it is desired to charge the bag with feed the base is shoved downward toward and locked to the bar 5, as seen in Fig. 1. The bag is then filled to the height of the inner guard-ring with the feed material, after which the bag is suspended upon the animals head and the base released, when the springs will tend to draw the latter upward toward the guard-ring. Upward movement of the base, however, is prevented by the weight and pressure of the feed, thereby insuring the base rising gradually and yet as rapidly as the feed is consumed, thus preventing the animal from eating too rapidly and burying its muzzle in or wasting the feed.

Attention is directed to the fact that if so desired the bag may be seated upon the ground or other support and will under such conditions be elevated by the legs 3 sufiieiently to prevent contact of the latch member with said support.

In the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a simple inexpensive device which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, as minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a supporting-frame comprising a horizontal portion and vertical arms, a bag sustained Within the frame, a guard ring or member supported within the bag, the base of the latter being movable vertically toward and from the ring, a latch member carried by the base and adapted for engagement with the horizontal portion of the frame to lock the base in its downward position, and springs mounted upon the vertical arms and acting to automatically draw the base upward when released.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a supporting-frame comprising a horizontal portion and vertical arms, of a bag sustained within the frame, a guard ring or member supported within the bag, the base of the latter being movable vertically toward and from the ring, a locking member carried by the base and adapted for engagement with the horizontal portion of the frame, and means for automatically moving the base upward when released.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a supporting-frame, of a flexible bag sustained therein, a guard ring or member supported within the bag, the base of the latter being movable vertically toward and from the guard-ring, and stiffening members associated with the wall of the bag to prevent the latter folding between the ring and base.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS llWAl/l BUltllOUG ll.

Witnesses:

H. C. SoUDDER, \VM. IV. HownLL. 

